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n ......ummm, how do you say that? tooo-rung-ee with rolling rrr. in Maori-speak....

locals say, two - rang (as in I rang you yesterday but you didnt answer) - ee n The Town: very

safe town......is situated at the southern end of Lake Taupo - 40 minutes drive south,

and a 40 minute drive to the Whakapapa ski eld at Mount Ruapehu. Turangi sits on the

banks of the Tongariro River and offers lake and rivers for y shing and waterbased activities. The surrounding countryside offers challenging hunting,

shing, mountain biking, hiking or leisurely bush walks, white water

rafting, kayaking and sight seeing. This place is ideal base for

excursions into the Tongariro National Park, Kaimanawa Forest

Park, and Pureroa Forest Park. The town takes its name from the

Maori leader, Turangitukua, who was an important gure in thehistory of the south Lake Taupo area. After many battles, Turangitukua and his followers oc -

Trout shing capital of the World

AUCKLANDQ

TURANGI

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cupied land near the Tongariro River and he, along with several other Chiefs, assisted the Ngati

Tuwharetoa people to become established in the Taupo region. The Maori of the Lake Taupo region

are descendants of those who came to New Zealand on the double-hulled Te Arawa canoe. They

settled in the Bay of Plenty on the East Coast and gradually moved inland to investigate the forested

heart of the central North Island. These explorers and their descendants became known as the

Ngati Tuwharetoa tribe. They are the local people of the land, tangata whenua. Turangi was built

by the Ministry of Works in the mid-1960s to house the thousands of workers employed on the

Tongariro Power Development, It was a classic hydro town. The township was built beside a small

but long-established and world renowned trout shing settlement, in close proximity to a number of

tourist attractions. However, one characteristic in particular distinguished Turangi from other hydro

towns - namely, its permanence. A special piece of egislation, the Turangi Township Act of 1964,embedded the future of Turangi, ensuring that the township would subsequently be incorporated

into the framework of the Taupo County Council n Population: 4,300 n Google Map: http://

maps.google.co.nz/maps?hl=en&tab=wl&q=turangi - the town is bright and breezy with works

n Location: from the Auckland Airport drive south 333 km / 207 miles - approx 4h 48m nLocal

ThehistoryandbreathtakinglandscapeofNewZealandsrstnationalpark,Tongariro(whichdominatesthe

middleoftheNorthIsland)issubjecttoanin-depthanalysisbytravelwriterMelWhiteandphotographerStuart

Franklin,ofNationalGeographic.WhiteismesmerisedbythethreepeaksthatdominatethelandscapeRua-

pehu,TongariroandNgauruhoeandinparticulartheconicalbeautyofNgauruhoe:Themountainlacksonly

afewstreaksofvividredcrayonaboveittobeeverychilds

drawingofthearchetypalvolcano,shewrites.Butco-existing

withTongarirosbeautyareseriousconservationandcultural

issues.Bird-eatingstoats,parking-lotconstruction,profoundspiritualandculturalvaluesalltheseissues

crowdthedesksofDOCmanagers.StuartFranklinsphotographscomplementWhiteswords,capturingthe

intensebeautyoftheregionthathasbeennamedaWorldHeritagesitetwice,bothforitsphysicalfeaturesand,

later,foritsculturalimportance.

The hottest month is February with an average of20 plus deg C. The coldest can get down to minus 2

deg C in July. The town has a lot of frosts but they arenormally followed by beautiful sunny days.

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Statistics (2010): There are 1,272 occupied dwellings in Turangi.....the

most common ethnic group is Mori, 59%, 48% is European (Pakeha)....37.9

British citizens looking to work

Down Under rushed to the

Opportunities New Zealand

expo held in Manchester. High

on most peoples reasons for

moving was the laidback Kiwi

lifestyle - as well as low unem-

ployment, a warmer climate and

the relative ease of buying prop-

erty. There are plenty of oppor-

tunities for migrants who have

the qualifcations that employ-

ers are looking for, said Depart-

ment of Labour regionalman-ager Andrew Lockhart in the

Guardian. If you add in what

New Zealand has to offer in

terms of lifestyle, there are

compelling reasons for UK

nationals with the right skills to

explore their career options.

In-demand immigrants include

IT workers, health professionals,civil servants, accountants and

trades people.

percent of people aged 15 years and over have never married, 41.1

percent are married, and 21.0 percent are separated, divorced orwidowed....33.8 percent of people aged 15 years and over have a

post- school qualication....unemployment rate is 6.7 percent

for people aged 15 years and over.....for people aged 15 years and

over, the median income (half earn more, and half less, than this

amount) in Turangi is $19,200.....one-family households make up

64.9 percent of all households.....45.0 percent of households have

access to the Internet.....70.4 percent of households have access

to a cellphone.....8.9 percent of households have access to three

or more motor vehicles.....55.1 percent of households in private

occupied dwellings own the dwelling, with or without a mortgage

n Strange....but true: Turangi is considered The Trout Fishing

Capital of the World (self proclaimed!!) Trout is an introduced

species with Brown Trout introduced from Tasmania in 1887 and

Rainbow Trout having been introduced from Northern California

in 1898. The Taupo shery is an exclusive zone administered by

the Department of Conservation and anglers require a special

licence to sh here. This is where the strange part comes in. The

Department of Conservation is the department protecting the

species!! nMain Turangi site: www.laketauponz.com/

taupo/turangi n Shopping: a central shopping mall which includes a wide range of shops -

Furniture and Electrical Goods; Mens and Womens Clothing; Art & Craft Gallery (local artists);

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Shoe Shop; Haberdashery; Book Shop/Post Ofce; Hair Salons; Pharmacy; Cafes; Womens

Boutique; Sports Shops including Fishing Information

and Supplies; Supermarket with a separate New World

Supermarket separate to the Malln

Banks: NationalBank of New Zealand and Kiwi Bank. ATM machines

for Bank of New Zealand; ANZ Bank; ASB Bank;

National Bank - open Monday to Friday, 9.00am -

4.30pm nSchools:Tongariro Area School (from Year

1 to Year 13- end of College)....Te Kura O Hirangi

(Maori immersion School - Year 1 to Year 13)....

Turangi Kindergarten n Churches: St Josephs

Catholic Church - Church of the Cross - Anglican/

Methodist/Presbyterian - Evangelical Church - Church

of Latter Day Saints nRestaurants: Several good

restaurants including Italian and Chinese. One thing

we are frequently asked for is a restaurant where

people can eat Trout. Trout is a wild sh and cannot

be purchased, so it you want to eat Trout, rst you must

catch it!! (More strange but true!!) Most restaurants will be happy to cook your Trout for you.....

Tongariro Lodge specialises in serving the best of New Zealand game and traditional foods. The

true atmosphere of the Lodge is best experienced in front of an open re over a four course evening

meal as the days activities are recounted - and the stories get taller as the evening wears on.....Oreti

Restaurant is situated at Pukawa Bay, 20 minutes drive from Turangi. With wonderful views over

the Lake, the restaurant caters for in house guests, casual diners and functions. A la carte menu,

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changed seasonally nMain businesses: Tourism and Forestry Be sure to visit the small village

of Hatepe, 20 minutes north of Turangi. Ira Johns, one of New Zealands best Maori ax weavers

produces true Maori artifacts in ax and is considered one of the best in the Maori kit (basket....in

todays terms handbag) makers in the land. Also produces modern version that would be consideredavaguarde on the streets of NY, Paris. Her prices start at $630 for the Parisian model nLeisure

activities within 60 minutes: Trout Fishing; Whitewater Rafting; Skiing and Snowboarding;

Mountain biking....Trekking in World Heritage Tongariro National Park; Jet Boating; Skydiving;

Bungy Jumping; Kayaking; Scenic Flights; Boating and water skiing; Swimming - Lake, Heated

pools and Mineral Pools nThe Golf Club: Turangi Golf Club at the southern end of Lake

Taupo is a glorious 18 hole public golf course that is exceptionally enjoyable to play. Measuring and

homeforsale-2013

2 BRM - 1 BTHRM - 0 CARS.......Ski and shing chalet - the perfect hide away holiday pad. Walking distance

to the famous Tongariro trout river, 25 minute drive to Whakapapa ski elds, centre of the North Island,Open

plan living with 2 spacious bedrooms all on a 650m2 freehold section. Has extra Turangi charms that you will

love. Great indoor outdoor ow, taste full and comfortable for the trout sherman ........$140,000

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5134m (Yellow tee) in length, it is a challenge for all levels of golfer. Its a course where accuracy

is important with narrow tree lined fairways and some testing water hazards.The course has two

single gure handicap greenkeepers you can be sure the greens and pin placement are always a

challenge. Atirau Road, Turangi nAverage home prices: $469, 000 Four bedroom, two bath-

room two storey Lockwood. Stunning views of the lake and cliffs. Landscaped 7976m section

adjacent to the walkway to the lake .... $1.4M- 3 bedrms - 2 bathrms Unparalleled lake vistas

are the backdrop of this superbly presented property. Ideally set up for entertaining guests. Large

kitchen dining living the area, wine cellar, 3 separate outdoor living areas, even the tool shed hassuperb views. Large double garage and carport....with a long drive that curves its way upwards n

Average home rental/week: $190/wk

- 2 bedrm - 1 bthrm - this little cutie of a

home is so peaceful! Nestled in amongst a

cottage garden. If you can see yourself sit-

ting on a sun soaked deck with a good book

in hand or just enjoying the pretty surround-

ings then come and have a look at this home.

Other features include a log re for heating

with open plan kitchen, dining and living

areas. Close to the local cafe, school bus

routes to Taupo and Turangi and to the

shores of Lake Taupo.... $180/wk - 3

bedrm - 1 bthrm - great location with views

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only 15 such sites in the world. Tongariro Crossing which is the most popular one day walk in New

Zealand - the largest ski area in New Zealand Whakapapa Ski area which caters for 10,000 skiers

per day is 40 minutes drive n Local newspapers and frequency:Turangi Chronicle (Thursdays);

Taupo Times (Tuesday & Friday);....Taupo Weekender (Thursday); Ruapehu Press (Thursday) n

Weekly grocery costs for a Family of 4: $250- $300 n Cost of a local burger & fries? Ham-

burger & Fries $4.30; Cheeseburger & Fries $4.50 from Burger King......nearest MacDonalds,

Taupo 52kms nWhat do the locals wear: most days, jeans and t-shirt, both sexes, but very thick

woolly and warm ones n How much do I pay for petrol? $2.22/litre n Are the natives

friendly?..... The Riverway general store is a family business started in 2008 by Vera , Jack & Mar-

cel Ryda - ex Detroit, USA. The shop is situated in the building that was originally the Turangi Post

Ofce dating back to the 1930s. At the Riverway G. S. & O. we offer every thing from freshly

ground coffee and general store items, local information and a pleasant chat. Also visit the staff

at the Turangi i-SITE Visitor Centre!! n Local Radio Stations: Tuwharetoa 97.2FM and TTT

(Triple T) FM 89.4FM n Television stations: TV1, TV2, TV3, sky TV...plus free to air chan-

nels nMovie theatres: none n Heres looking at Turangi : http://www.youtube.

com/watch?v=dEtJnUsmXXo&list=UUADhpD1Z7TA0QF5sFIDOVyw&index=3

of Mt Pihanga. Recently renovated with new paint and carpet throughout. There is a new replace

which pumps out the heat! n Local tourist attractions: Tokaanu Mineral Pools and Thermal

Walk; Tongaririo National Trout Centre; Dual World Heritage....Tongariro National Park; His-

New Zealand is NOT an underpopulated version ofBritain. If you try to make it soYOU WILL FAIL.Enjoy NZ for that fact, and you can get to do a lot ofthings that are way out of your normal league inthe UK.

toric Wharf - The Tongariro River world famous for trout shing - Tokaanu

Hot Pools complex and the adjacent natural thermal area - Tongariro Na-

tional Park, our oldest National Park which has been internationally recognised

as a natural world heritage area and also a cultural world heritage area - one of

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The House of Hatepe (phon: haar-tehh-pehh) has a limited edition of a Maori

woven ax sculpture that features as a 3 dimentional wall hanging with paua

shell gilding. Called Tubular Cubics the adaptation from traditional Maori axwoven artifacts is featured on a white backing canvas, 75 x 100cm. Or, just a

wooden framing. Initially created as a special gift to family overseas, this design

was snapped up by other family members who saw the intricate ax weaving as

an object of visual art for their Norway home. Hand woven from the local ax

plant in Hatepe (a village on the south eastern shores of Lake Taupo), Ira Johns

is an artist and teacher of modern Maori ax-weave design. Limited edition, 200

only, signed, numbered and delivered - US$1775 each - 20 day delivery.

email: iram@ruralinzone.net

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I was living in The Netherlands 12 years ago when I met my Kiwi husband. His plansto return to NZ were put on hold when rst he met me, and second his dad (who wasnow living in the Netherlands) became ill. During the course of the next 11 years welived in the Netherlands for a year, then moved to London, stayed there 5 years andthen moved to Ireland where we remained until June 2005 when we nally realizedour dream of moving to New Zealand.What were your reasons for choosing New Zealand? My husband was always

homesick whilst he was away. Not cripplingly so, but the pull of the land was verystrong for him and he never felt 100% at peace being away from it. He did love beingin Ireland but being there was never a long-term option for either of us.How long did the emigration process take? For us, it was only a matter of when to

go. My son was still at university and I didnt want to leave until hed nished. Thatwas in May 2005. We put the house on the market in November 2004 and had no joyin selling for 5 months, changed agents and sold in 10 days. We decided that Iwouldnt apply for PR until we got here so we booked our ights and left on 20 June.I applied for PR on 4 July, got a work permit 4 days later and my PR was approved in

April this year.. Where do you live in New Zealand? We live in Gleneld on the North Shore.. We really fancied the idea of living in Titirangi before we got to NZ because

we believed that the Shore was very overcrowded but when we actually gothere, we really liked it. We bought our house 5 days after we arrived. Its got the

Titirangi setting that we really like lots of bush its not on a sub-division andweve got a boat ramp at the end of the street. Walking down our road every evening,even on a wet day, is so uplifting when I see the water spread out before me.What differences have you noticed between NZ and your country of origin? Notmany to be honest. The people are friendly, outspoken and irreverent about manythings just like the Irish. Agriculture is still the main industry here whereas it hasslipped behind in Ireland. It does seem to be more politically correct here at times but

only at Government level. The cost of living is less than in Ireland, which is one of themost expensive countries in Europe to live in and we do feel nancially better offhere. I suppose the main difference has to be the weather although, living in Auck-land, Ill never be pining for a soft day.What do you enjoy most about NZ? In no particular order: The friendships Ivemade and which I hadnt expected to make. Not just with ex-pats, Ive got areally really close knit group of Kiwi friends too. The smell of trees and busheswafting through the car windows as you drive along an urban street. Sitting onour deck listening to the orchestra coming from the bush. The weather no morebone chilling winters (in Auckland anyway). Talk Radio. Watching the rugby andlooking forward now to the cricket.If you or your spouse work how easy was it to nd employment? I saw a job in theHerald the evening we arrived in NZ. I applied the following morning and got aresponse within an hour. I went for an interview and accepted the job there and then.My husband went through an agency and he had a job within a week. I work harderhere denitely. I dont have as many holidays but do have sick leave which I didnthave in my last job in Ireland. The people I work for appreciate what I do for them andrecently sent me owers to say thank you. I never had that in any other country Ivelived in. Im quite lucky in this company as the last one I worked for was completelydifferent and I did not enjoy a lot of my time there. My husband has been promotedand his hours have been improved which has made him a very happy Kiwi.Has your quality of life improved, if so how? I go to sleep easily at night and can liein at the weekends instead of tossing and turning for hours and waking up at 7am onSaturday and Sunday. I dont get angry anymore about things I cant control. My workcommute is 1 hour and 15 minutes daily now instead of 3 hours. My husband

works less than 10 minutes from home so we see a lot more of each other than wedid in Ireland. I have made friends that I actually get to see outside of work.

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TELLING THEIR STORY:

Weve settled (nally)here, and I have madefriends that I actually getto see outside of work.